Nominees must be starters or important reserves with at least a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (4.0 scale). Student-athletes must have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing at their institutions (freshmen are not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at their institution. League sports information directors voted on the team by designating 11 players for first-team honors and 11 players for second-team honors.

2004 Gateway All-Academic Team

FIRST TEAM
DL Tom Brillhart, INS, Sr., 3.51 U.S. History
PK Stephen Carroll, ILS, Sr., 3.52 Public Relations
C Perry Cox, WIU, Jr., 3.966 Business Management
OC Brad Durham, SMS, Sr., 3.51 M.S. Education
PK Kyle Hooper, INS, So., 3.58 Business Admin.
QB Phillip Johnson, INS, So., 3.59 Business Admin.
TE Chris Kupec, SIU, Jr., 3.48 Aviation Flight
PK Justin Langan, WIU, Sr., 3.666 Bio Sciences
LB Tony Rinella, SIU, Jr., 3.41 History
QB Joel Sambursky, SIU, Jr., 3.47 Finance
TB Jake Shields, INS, Sr., 3.38 Business Admin.
WR Justin Surrency, UNI, Jr., 3.32 Comm./Elec. Media

SECOND TEAM
TE Shawn Carlson, YSU, Jr., 3.37 Exercise Science
P Brian Claybourn, WKU, Sr., 3.18 Marketing
LB Phillip Doyle, SIU, Jr., 3.19 English
OL Fred Freitag, INS, Sr., 3.38 Radio/TV Film
QB Steve LaFalce, WIU, So., 3.419 Finance
WR James Lindgren, UNI, So., 3.93 Biology
OT Matt Miller, SIU, Sr., 3.19 Finance
OC John Schabilion, UNI, Jr., 3.85 Quantitative Econ.
DE Justin Scholes, YSU, Jr., 3.21 Mech. Engineering
OC Doug Wilkinson, UNI, Sr., 3.20 English Educ.

HONORABLE MENTION
Illinois State: OG Stafford Davis • Indiana State: OL Jon Ferber; DL Kyle Mitchell • UNI: WR Curt Bradley • Southern Illinois: CB Brad Brachear; S Marlon Heaston; FB J.T. Wise • Western Illinois: LB Michael Kasprak • Youngstown State: LB Marty Hutchinson; PK Nick Terracina